Reinforced metallic reel



May 27, 1969 E. o. STARRATT REINFORCED METALLI C REEL Filed Jan. 8, 1968 INVENTOR.

9 EVERETT O. STARRATT ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,446,455 REINFORCED METALLIC REEL Everett 0. Starratt, Cumberland, R.I., assignor to Wanskuck Company, a corporation of Rhode Island Filed Jan. 8, 1968, Ser. No. 696,340 Int. Cl. B65h 75/14 U.S. Cl. 242118.8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Background of the invention Reels which are in use today particularly in the wire industry are subject to a number of stresses particularly when a reel is used as the takeup device from a wire drawing machine that is being rotated at a very high speed usually in excess of 4000 r.p.m. Not only does the wire wound around the barrel exert considerable compressive force on the barrel, but as the reel becomes progressively more fully wound, considerable forces develop against the head of the reel tending to bend the head outwardly. It is desirable, therefore, to devise reinforcing means for a metallic reel that will resist these various forces and to put these various forces to use to the benefit of simplicity of construction.

Summary of the invention The reel has a pair of heads and a barrel and a concentric central tube that passes through each of the heads, the central tube providing a central support means upon which the reel can be revolved. Reinforcing means are provided in the space between the center tube and the barrel and extend outwardly to the head and thence radially on the head preferably to the periphery thereof. These reinforcing means effectively are of beam type construction, specifically channel-shaped cross-section and by utilizing a plurality of such reinforcing elements that are angularly spaced within the barrel of the reel and thence extend radially of the heads, an extremely inexpensive and yet strong reel may be provided.

Description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a plan view of a reel embodying the principles of this inention showing the outer face of a head thereof;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view of a complete reel embodying the principles of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional fragmental view taken on lines 33 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are enlarged views taken substantially on lines 44 of FIG. 2 illustrating methods of connecting the reinforcing means together at the center thereof;

FIG. 6 is a fragmental plan view of a slightly modified form of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a detached sectional view taken on lines 7--7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken on lines 88 of FIG. 1.

Description of the preferred embodiment The reel is composed of a pair of heads generally designated 10 which may be fabricated of sheet metal and provided with a peripheral rim 11 that may be formed 3,446,455 Patented May 27, 1969 such as disclosed in US. Patent 2,286,640. An aperture is provided centrally thereof and receives a barrel 14 therein which may be suitably welded thereto. As thus constituted, a reel constructed with these three elements is an extremely flimsy structure in which not only will the barrel 14 be subject to compressive forces that might deform the same, but additionally the heads 10 thereof may be deflected outwardly. To prevent this occurrence a number of channel-shaped reinforcing members generally designated 15 are provided. These reinforcing members are L-shaped with a head portion 16 and a barrel portion 17 and each extends substantially to the center of the barrel 14. As shown in FIG. 1, there are eight su ch reinforcing members provided somewhat resemble the spokes of a wheel and there are a like number extending from the opposite head and thence inwardly along the interior of the barrel 14. At the center of the barrel 14 where the two ends of the reinforcing mem bers 15 meet, the two members may be joined together so as to form effectively an integral unit. In FIG. 2, a center reinforcing ring 20, tack welded to the barrel, serves as an abutting member while in FIGS. 4 and 5 means of joining the two portions 17, 17' together are shown. For example, when a center reinforcing ring is not required, the two ends may be joined by a solid metallic block 21 (FIG. 4) or as shown in FIG. 5 they may be joined by a U-shaped joining member 22 which has reduced widthwise dimensional end portions 23.

The reinforcing structure thus far described, consists of two leg portions 16, 16' both of which have upstanding bridging walls 25 with outwardly extending flanges, and leg portions 17 which have upstanding walls 26, 26'. A right angle bend is formed in the member 15 as at 28, 28', and thus it will be appreciated that we have a rigid beam like structure formed to the center of the barrel. The center tube 32 is supported at either end by circular channel members 33, 33 each of which has a pair of inturned lips 35, 35' that join the barrel 14 and the center tube 32. Cutouts as at 37 (see FIG. 1) are provided for the passage of the L-shaped channel reinforcing members, and as desired for particular applications, drive holes 38 are provided in this structure which is generally designated 33.

From the above it will be apparent that as wire is wound upon the barrel 14, a compressive force will be developed as, for example, in the direction of the arrows 40 that have been applied to FIG. 2. Thus if a force is developed along the axis of the reels as indicated by the arrows 42 which will occur when there is an excessive buildup of wire on the reel exerting such outward forces on the head, the L-shaped parts made up of the legs 16 and 17 will effectively act about their corners at 28 as a fulcrum, and the compressive forces 40 will therefore resist the axial forces 42.

To assemble the reel, the channel reinfoncing members 15, 15 may be spot welded to the heads 10. The heads may then be assembled to the barrel 14, the circular channels 33, 33' put in place and bead welded to the barrel and head intermediate the reinforcing members at the barrel line. If a center ring 20 is used this will have been previously tack welded to the barrel or if the reinforcing members are to be joined, they will thence be joined by the elements 21 or 22 which will be tack welded into position. The center tube 32 is then placed in position and tack welded to the circular channels 33, 33'.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, a modified form of the invention is shown therein. In this form the reel is intended to be made in a slightly different fashion and the reinforcing members designated generally 40' are in effect a continuous U-shaped element extending from one reel head to the opposite reel head. To this end,

a head leg 41 extends along the surface of the head 42 of the reel and is then reversely bent as at 44 to form an axial portion 46 that extends over to the other end of the reel and at this point a mirror image is created of the structure thus described. The portion 46 is continuous, and if desired, a spacer or reinforcing ring such as 48 may be provided between the portion 46 and the barrel 49 of the reel. As will be seen by examining FIG. 7, the center tube 50 of the reel contacts substantially continuously along its outer surface the upright portion of the channel-shaped reinforcing elements generally designated 40 and the reversely bent portion 44 forms a shelf as at 45 upon which the barrel 49 of the reel may rest. To assemble a reel of this construction, it is necessary that the central opening therein be of a sufficient dimension to permit the passage of the arm portions 41 therethrough. With this requirement being met, it will be obvious that the reel head 42 and the barrel 49 may be pre-assembled at which point the various reinforcing elements 40 may be passed through the central area thereof and positioned as by tack welding the barrel 49 to the shelf portion 45 and also by tack welding the leg portion 41 to the head 42. When this has been completed, the center tube 50 may be inserted and tack welded into place by the abutting portions of the upright leg portions of a straightway section 46, and to close the circular aperture that is left in the head of the reel, a ring element 51 generaly U-shaped cross section with suitable cutouts to receive the reinforcing elements 40 may be welded into place.

The mechanical arrangement of this embodiment is identical to the provious embodiments wherein pressure exerted in the center portion of the reel as a compressive force will act on the channel member 40 in such a fashion that bending of the reel head 42 is resisted.

It is obvious that certain refinements in the structure can be attained as, for example, if the curl 11 around the periphery of the reel head is made somewhat in accordance with Patent 2,286,640, the end of the leg 16 may be beveled down such as is illustrated at 16A in FIG. 2 and actually extend out far enough to come underneath the downwardly turned lip of the rim (see FIG. 8). This type of configuration will provide a structure that does not rely solely upon the tack welding of the member 16 to the head but utilizes a mechanical connection as well as a welded connection.

1 claim:

1. A reel comprising a pair of heads and a barrel connecting said heads, reinforcing arm elements of channel formation having a bridging portion with flanges, said bridging portions being bonded to the outer face of each head and extending radially thereon with the flanges extending outwardly therefrom, said elements being bent to extend axially of the reel and at least at one portion thereof contacting the inner surface of the barrel of said reel with the flanges extending inwardly.

2. A reel as in claim 1 wherein said reinforcing elements are joined together at their center portion thereof and extend substantially throughout their length in contact with the inner surface of the barrel.

3. A reel as in claim 1 wherein said reinforcing elements extend axially from each head in contact with the inner surface of the barrel to a point substantially at the center of said barrel.

4. A reel comprising a pair of heads and a barrel connecting said heads, reinforcing arm elements being bonded to each head and extending radially thereon, said elements being bent to extend axially of the reel at least at one portion thereof contacting the inner surface of the barrel of said reel, a center tube extending through the barrel, said reinforcing member being bent at right angles to form a shelf that contacts the barrel adjacent each head thereof and is then reversely bent again so as to have axially extending contact with the outer surface of the center tube.

5. A reel comprising a pair of heads and a barrel connecting said heads, reinforcing arm elements being bonded to each head and extending radially thereon, said elements being bent to extend axially of the reel with at least one portion thereof contacting the inner surface of the barrel of said reel, a center tube extending through the barrel and a circular channel member having inturned lips contacting said barrel and center tube and having cutouts to receive said reinforcing elements.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,284,021 11/1966 Ryll et a1 2421l5 X FOREIGN PATENTS 634,767 9/1936 Germany. 257,807 9/ 1926 Great Britain.

GEORGE F. MAUTZ, Primary Examiner. 

